Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Fruit Peels and Other Lignocellulosic Biomass as a Source of Sugar

Glucose and reducing sugars were obtained from corn cobs, orange and pomegranate peels by employing different enzymatic hydrolysis and pretreatment strategies. For the hydrolysis of corn cobs, effect of alkaline pretreatment was examined. Effect of cellobiase loading on hydrolysis was also investigated. Glucose content was measured using a Blood Glucose Monitor. When cellobiase was also added to hydrolysate, glucose and TRS yield increased from 20 and 34% respectively. Unlike corncobs, alkaline pretreatment was not applied to pomegranate and orange peels due to low lignin content. For the hydrolysis of these substrates, a pectic enzyme mixture was also used. Reasonable glucose and total reducing sugar yield from pomegranate and orange peel hydrolysis was achieved without any pretreatment. It was shown that while efficient corn cob hydrolysis needed synergistic effect of cellulase and beta-glucosidase combination, fruit peels hydrolysis needed synergistic effect of cellulase, beta-glucosidase and pectinase.